


That Which They Call The Ace

by lolcano



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen, Introspection, and why he came back again, exploration of why asahi quit the volleyball team, i guess, novelization of canon events
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 17:02:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9667268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lolcano/pseuds/lolcano
Summary: Why Asahi quit the volleyball club, and why he decided to join again.





	1. Azumane Asahi from Seikoudai Middle School.

Azumane Asahi, from Seikoudai Middle School. They say that he’s a powerful hitter.

Yet he did not try to be.

Then again, it is false to say that he held back, that he didn’t hit the ball as hard as he could, no, he gave it his all, he hit with full strength, and somehow that was extraordinary, without even intending to he earned a reputation for being a strong hitter, a force to be reckoned with.

But he did not think that he was something extraordinary just because of that. The fact was he just happened to be slightly bigger and taller than the rest of his teammates, and by chance, by some stroke of luck, he was able to hit the ball harder, and it was this alone which that he contributed to his illustrious reputation. In another life, this ability would have gone perhaps to some one else; it was nothing to be proud about, this good luck of his, pure chance, besides, he was not so talented apart from that. 

But he liked volleyball, and so he continued to play, continued to hit the ball with all his strength, he loved the satisfying feeling of the ball against his palm, the satisfying thud as it hit the ground on the other side of the court, the exultation of his team, the knowledge that they were fighting together, the smell and feel of the court, this was all something beautiful and wonderful, it made him feel strong and happy to play together with his team.

And then, middle school was over and for some reason they had called him “the ace”, a title he had neither asked for or strived for, but one that was his all the same, and he wondered if he really deserved it, or if he even wanted it, to be called “the ace”.

And when, in his second year of high school, when the third years retired, and he became, once more, the ace, he took up the roll once again, he took it because it fell to him, just because he hit the strongest, because they called him “the ace”.

“About this ‘ace’ business…” he had once brought up hesitantly with Sugawara and Daichi, and Sugawara, walking beside him, on a cold rainy day, smiled.

“That’s right,” he said, slapping Asahi on the back, “You’re our strong dependable ace, so we’ll be counting on you!”

“But uh… I don’t really think…,” said Asahi, wincing a little from pain, and a little from uncertainty, standing on the sidewalk as they walked home from school, “Are you really sure I’m ace materiel?”

“If it comes to mentally, no, of course you aren’t,” said Daichi, stabbing it right where it hurt.

“…I-is that so?” he managed to sputter.

Suga laughed out loud. “You _definitely_ aren’t! An ace should be made of tougher materiel!”

Asahi was devastated, he stopped walking and looked gloomily up at the sky, the grey sky which seemed for a moment to shiver with pathetic fallacy, sympathetic to his plight. It was a grey, grey, rainy day. He too was feeling grey. How come he wasn’t stronger, tougher? How could he be an ace, if even this upset him?

“But,” continued Daichi, “You’re a good volleyball player. You’re a strong hitter. You practise as hard as anybody. So don’t let anybody say you don’t deserve the title of the ace!”

They had not waited for him, as he stood there, melancholy as the sky, and so when he looked up to their retreating backs he did not see the expression of determination on his captain’s face, the certainty he had spoken truthfully, but Asahi must have heard it, no doubt, in his voice, which echoed with the strength of conviction through the streets.

“Eh?” said Asahi, then said again, “Eeh?” as he realized that they were not waiting for him, and were now ahead of him, in the streets.

W-wait for me!”

“Come and catch up,” they said, and he hurried after them, and they walked together through the rain-splattered streets.

He was their ace. They believed, without even looking, that he would be there for them, that he would win for them. How could they? Asahi could not help but wonder, How could they, when they knew that he was really so weak? And yet even though they knew his nature, they still entrusted it to him, the ball, depended on his strength to fight and to win.

And before long it was their first tournament.


	2. Chapter 2

 

“I know that Karasuno hasn’t done well in the past. And I know that know that since the third-years have retired, there aren’t a lot of us left. But….”  Daichi said, as they stood with their bags and their jerseys in front of the Sendai Gymnasium, “we won’t let that stand in our way! We’ll fight and keep fighting. We have strong spikers. A reliable setter. A libero who’ll guard our back. Together, let’s show them the strength of Karasuno!”

“Alriiiggghhht!” yelled Nishinoya and Tanaka, the two first years who were always so rowdy. Their liveliness always impressed Asahi, the determination and confidence which permeated through their bodies. They thought that they could win. They believed they would. Did Asahi?

They had lost too many games before.

The doors to the gymnasium flew open, and they entered a world crowded full of people, of intimidating people, high schoolers from all over Miyagi, some tough, some scared, but all of them scary to Asahi.

“There sure are a lot of people here…” he said.

“Yeah, and a lot of them look like punks too…” said Tanaka, pulling a ferocious face at a tall-looking fellow in a blue uniform.

“You’re the punk, so stop making that face!” said Daichi, hitting Tanaka in the back of the head. He was already the reliable captain, even though it had not been so long since Kurokawa retired. Daichi fit the roll of captain; he fell into and inhabited it, like it was natural, like it had always been that way, and to Asahi he always had, but as for him? He was no stronger better than Kurokawa and even Kurokawa could not bring them to nationals. And now Kurokawa was gone anyway, and they couldn’t rely on him to get them out of a tough spot anymore, no, it was up to him now. Because he was their ace.  

“Asahi, are you scared?” asked Nishinoya, interrupting his thoughts. Asahi looked down at him, their small libero, who was looking up inquisitively. Next to Asahi, he was miniscule, like a child, but the truth was he was strong, so much stronger than him. If Nishinoya was the same size as he was, if only he was a bit bigger, then there would have been no question about who really was the ace.

“N-n-no, of c-c-course I’m not scared!” said Asahi bravely.  

“You clearly are!” said Daichi, “You’re shivering!”

“Am I going to have to hit you again!?” cried Suga.

“N-n-no!” said Asahi, but it was too late, and he received a violent karate chop from Sugawara. He fell over in pain, and Sugawara laughed and Daichi tried to be stern but couldn’t help but laugh too, even while he ordered them to get their things together and get moving.

“I’m going to be entrusting my tosses to you,” said Suga, quiet beneath the bustle activity, as they headed to the gym, but Asahi could hear him clearly, hear the clarity in his voice, “So this is no time to be nervous.”

“Er well, you may say that, but that’s part of the problem…” said Asahi.

“Haaa?! You don’t trust my tosses?” Sugawara said, feigning intense shock.

“No! Of course not!” Asahi said, “I trust your tosses to the utmost. It’s just that – “

Sugawara interrupted.

“If you trust them,” he said simply, “then there’s no issue, is there?”

He looked up at his friend and smiled.

“...No…” said Asahi.

“Asahi! Asahi!” said Nishinoya, looking up to him and grinning. “Don’t worry! Even if you get blocked I’ll get everyone of them back in the air! So when the ball gets back to you, go on back up there and make the spike count!”

“Yeah,” bragged Tanaka, “and if you ever get tired, then you can toss the ball to me and I’ll get it in!”

Asahi smiled and laughed, this was what it meant to be on a team, this is why he loved volleyball. Maybe they could win after all. (What was it like to win, anyway? It had been so long…)

But with his teammates around him, he walked into the gym for their first match.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What tournament is this? How many did they participate in before? I don't really know! Apparantly this was near the end of the school year but I have no idea how the Japanese school year works so that doesn't help me. Whatever! 
> 
> I have a bit more written after this but updates might take a while because I'm pretty busy. Hopefully I'll be able to write more someday! In any case thank you very much for reading. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! This story isn't really anything special but I just wanted to look more in depth at what was going through Asahi's head during this time period. Hope you enjoy!


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